The draw for reservation of wards as Schedule Caste (Women), Schedule Tribe (Women) and Open (Women) categories in the upcoming civic polls was held across several municipal corporations slated for elections in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
In the Thane Municipal Corporation, from among the total 47 wards, draw was held for five wards in SC, two ST and 17 Women Open categories. Twenty four wards will have two women candidates in the panel of three. This will have an impact on some of the prominent wards in the city.
In all, 142 corporators will be elected, and as per 50% reservation, 71 seats will be for women. While some political parties will have to compromise their nomination for more popular faces in their party, there are some wards where the current corporators can nominate their wives.
In Ghodbunder, from among Shiv Sena’s Naresh Manera and Sidharth Ovalekar, only one might be contesting as two wards in their division from among three have been reserved for women. Similarly, in Mumbra, from among three wards of NCP, two have been reserved for women. So, between NCP’s Najib Mulla and Suhas Desai, one may nominate their wives as part of the women’s reservation.
“From three wards, there are two for women. So my nomination is not affected. Overall also, the reservation lottery has not made much of a difference as everyone was prepared for the 50% women quota,” said Mulla.
Between former Mayor Naresh Mhaske and Vikas Repale, both from Shiv Sena, one can be nominated in ward 27 and the other has an opportunity in ward 22. Meanwhile, former deputy mayor Pallavi Kadam’s ward falls under the men’s ward and is reserved for SC and ST women. Hence, there are chances that Kadam’s husband will be nominated.
Mhaske said, “The reservation is in favour of Shiv Sena as none of the seats have been impacted.” With a similar view, Manohar Dumbre, BJP leader, said, “All our long-standing corporators’ seats continue to remain unaffected. As a party, we are content with the reservation lottery.”
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, which has 122 wards wherein 40 panels will be of three wards each and one panel of two wards, the draw was conducted in three phases in the presence of municipal commissioner, Abhijit Bangar.
A transparent drum was used to store the chits with ward numbers that were shown to those present. The chits were picked by NMMC school students who were blindfolded.
Sixty one wards in Navi Mumbai have been reserved for women. Every panel has a minimum of one seat and a maximum of two seats reserved for women.
Eleven wards in the city have the highest SC population. Of these, a draw was conducted for six seats to be reserved for women. Similarly, for ST, two seats were reserved, of which a draw was conducted for one seat for woman candidates.
The state election commission has reserved 54 wards for women, out of which 40 were directly reserved so draw was held from 28 wards for 14 seats.
Navi Mumbai Shiv Sena leader Vijay Chougule said, “It has been conducted in a very transparent manner after the delimitation exercise, which was also as per the norms. We are confident that MVA will win the civic elections.”
Former Navi Mumbai BJP corporator and Ganesh Naik loyalist, Purshottam Bhoir, was not pleased. He said, “Our leader had objected to the delimitation exercise, which was not fair. The entire process is biased and we will approach the court in the matter.”
In Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), out of the 133 seats, 67 seats are reserved for women candidates overall.
In the 133 seats, 116 seats are for general open category, 13 seats for SC and 4 for ST.
The reservation for women candidates in different categories is 58 seats for open women category, 7 for SC women category and 2 for ST women category.
City president of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sachin Pote, said, “In my ward No. 20, Kolsewadi and Chiknipada in Kalyan (E), one seat is reserved for SC women, open women category and open general category. This will not make a major difference to the party as we have options to contest from each category. Similarly, in most wards, there are options. Accordingly, the party will choose its candidates. With the panel system, we have more options to contest for the seats and get elected.”
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party that has a major impact in Kalyan-Dombivli also claimed that the party is ready to contest the election and the reservation will not affect the party.
“We all know there will be women reservation for the civic polls and the party is prepared for it,” said Manoj Gharat, city president, MNS, Dombivli.
A senior leader from Shiv Sena party, Gopal Landge, said, “This time, as the election will be held through a panel system, even if an open seat is reserved for a woman candidate in the same ward, there is an option for open category as well. Through this system there are options to contest from different categories, hence it will not affect the earlier elected candidates and the party.”